Holy Spirit and the Life of the Kingdom of God - 12-25-2012

December 25, 2012 - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

6:9		你 們 豈 不 知 、 不 義 的 人 不 能 承 受 　 神 的 國 麼 。 不 要 自 欺 ． 無 論 是 淫 亂 的 、 拜 偶 像 的 、 姦 淫 的 、 作 孌 童 的 、 親 男 色 的 、
6:10		偷 竊 的 、 貪 婪 的 、 醉 酒 的 、 辱 罵 的 、 勒 索 的 、 都 不 能 承 受 　 神 的 國 。
6:11		你 們 中 間 也 有 人 從 前 是 這 樣 ． 但 如 今 你 們 奉 主 耶 穌 基 督 的 名 、 並 藉 著 我 們 　 神 的 靈 、 已 經 洗 淨 、 成 聖 稱 義 了 。

⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The Kingdom of God is also called the Kingdom of Righteousness. Only righteous person can enter into it. Paul exhorts believers that they must not have any self-deception that they continue in all kinds of sins - like sexual indulgence, hurting others, greedy for or robbing other person's things - and can still inherit the Kingdom of God. Their continual deeds in these wrongdoings only prove that they have and will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul strongly reminds true believers that we are Jesus' followers and the Holy Spirit had already washed them, sanctified them, and justified them in the name of Jesus. All real believers had all experienced the washing, sanctification, and justification by the Spirit. We were washed that our sins had been cleansed and regenerated - have a new life; we were sanctified that we were set apart to belong to God and be His people - start to be for His use; we were justified that we are now seen by God as righteous because of Jesus' righteousness. Through the Spirit, we have new life through washing, new identity through sanctification, and new status through justification. 

My Spirit, thanks for all your amazing works in my life that I am washed, sanctified, and justified before God. I pray that you continue to empower me to live a life that reflects the kingdom life - a righteous life of Kingdom of God. Temptations are real but keeping my life in the Spirit is the way to overcome temptations and more than that testifying the Kingdom of Jesus on earth.